lifestyle

Mother of 3 Held Hostage Uses Pizza Hut Mobile Order to Send 911 Note

In Florida, a mother and her three children were held hostage by the mother's hostile boyfriend when she used quick thinking to submit a 911 message through the Pizza Hut mobile order form in order to save their lives. Cheryl Treadway was a frequent Pizza Hut customer and the store manager, Alonia Hawk, recognized her name as such when the online order came in on that fateful day.

However, as Fox 13 reported, in the comments box was a horrifying message: "Please help! Get 911 to me. 911 hostage help."

Ethan Earl Nickerson was holding his girlfriend and her three children hostage after an argument throughout the day escalated, leaving Treadway without her cellphone as Nickerson became increasingly paranoid and violent.

After convincing Nickerson her children were hungry, he handed her phone over only on the condition that she quickly order a pizza and immediately hand it back.

Treadway used quick instinctive thinking to use the Pizza Hut comment back, and Hawk's staff immediately called the police. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office arrived at the home where Treadway and one child ran to safety.

Nickerson, armed with a knife and refusing to answer the door, was inside with the two other children.

Eventually arrested, with no injuries sustained during the incident, Nickerson was "charged with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment, and obstructing justice by depriving communication to law enforcement."

The mother not only acted quickly and decisively, but also shows how technology can be used safely and effectively in the worst of situations.